


The Glory of Our Forefathers

by LMillay



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:48:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27697867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LMillay/pseuds/LMillay
Summary: Before his legend began, Ragnar was a farmer's son and destined for tilling the land. His thoughts always wandered beyond the horizon and his soul yearned to travel where none in his land had before but his heart, his heart belonged to one: Brynja. She was fair of hair, crystal eyes that matched the sea he wished to sail and a smile that would lead him back to her feet every time. She was a gentle soul, quiet and reflective, qualities he emulated himself. He felt she was his destiny, the woman he was to marry and the woman to mother his future empire.
Relationships: Ragnar Lothbrok/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

He stared at the skies above, watching as the clouds ran over each other and melded together. He glanced over at her as she laid beside him, her eyes on the sky as well and he smiled, he was happy here. Buried in the green grass with the love of his life and wanting nothing other than her presence beside him, he reached up to tangle his fingers in hers. She looked at him and smiled warmly, he kissed her fingertips.

"When will you marry me?" he questioned, and she laughed.

"Oh Ragnar, you don't give up do you?" she replied, and he smiled again, shaking his head. "Perhaps we are destined for each other as you say but I still am young, I wish to do a bit more before I settle," she explained.

"I would bring you to see the world, beyond those horizons our family refuse to travel," he said, rolling on his elbows and staring down at her, she continued to smile. He leaned down and kissed her lips gently; she stroked his cheek lovingly. "All you have to do is marry me and I will give you the entire world, known and unknown," he vowed, and she smiled.

"Listen to you with your promises, Ragnar," she said and stroked his hair. "If only they could be delivered on," she sighed, and he raised his eyebrows.

"You doubt me?" he asked, a sly smile on his face and she grinned, she knew the buttons she was pushing.

"You're just a man, Ragnar, a farmer's son, what do you think you can do? Sail the seas and master the world? No man before you have done this, why do you think yourself so special?" she demanded, echoing the words of his father and other elders in the village. He growled and began to tickle her mercilessly, she laughed loudly as she squirmed. He struggled with her on the grass, they rolled around for a while, wrestling until she pinned him down by the shoulders and straddled him. 

"You're in a very dangerous position," he warned an arched eyebrow.

"Am I? I believe I am on top and you are on the bottom," she argued, and he was swift, rolling so she was beneath him. He kissed her lips tenderly and pulled back, leaving himself inches from her.

"Now you are on the bottom," he replied, and she pulled him down, pressing her lips against his. The way she kissed him and touched him made him feel worlds away, made him want everything she had to offer. "Marry me, Brynja," he whispered against her lips and held firm, refusing to let her pull his lips to hers. 

"Ragnar, we are so young," she reminded.

"The more years I have to spend with you," he countered, and she laughed quietly, shaking her head with a bemused smile. She pulled at him again, he allowed her to kiss him and then pulled back. 

"Is that a yes?" he asked, and she bit her lip then nodded, a grin burst across his face. He kissed her passionately, rolling on his back and rubbing her back as they embraced. "I will make you the happiest wife in the village, in the world and we will till our own land, raise our own family, see the world," he promised, and she smiled.

"Just swear you will never leave me, Ragnar," she pleaded and pet his lips with her fingertip, he shook his head.

"Never," he vowed, holding her gaze.


	2. The Invisible String

"Ragnar!" a voice called, breaking Ragnar's concentration and he looked over his shoulder, Floki walked down to the harbor. "What is it you're dreaming of?" he demanded, and Ragnar smiled, looking back at the horizon. 

"Lifetimes ago," he answered and Floki sat beside him.

"Is it her again?" he asked, and Ragnar nodded. "It is always her, friend," he sighed, and Ragnar shrugged.

"I thought she was my destiny," he replied and Floki fell quiet. 

"We all assume our destiny before the gods show us our path," Floki spoke finally and Ragnar shook his head, looking to the mountains. "You have a beautiful wife and a healthy son, you should be grateful for what the gods have given you," he urged, and Ragnar shrugged his hand off. Floki sighed and stood, leaving him at the harbor.

He entered the Great Hall and found Lagertha laughing at Bjorn's antics, she looked up at the man as he walked towards her. 

"Did you find him?" she asked and Floki nodded, filling his cup. "Is he dreaming of her again?" Lagertha said, a tinge of jealousy in her voice. Ragnar had not been secretive about his past, about his first love and how things would have been different if certain things hadn't happened. "When will he let her go?" Lagertha muttered and Floki lowered his cup, gazing at her.

"Never," Floki responded and left the hall, Lagertha sighed. She had lived with her ghost since the beginning of their marriage, Ragnar had never loved her less but there were always two in the relationship.

\-----

Ragnar laid beside his wife, listening to her steady breathing, and sighed, always Brynja haunted him. He got out of bed, pausing for a moment and rose, throwing his cloak on. He pushed his feet into his boots and headed out towards Floki's home, a long trek at night. He banged loudly on the wooden door and stepped back, staring into the darkness. The door swung open and Floki peered into the dimly lit space. 

"Ragnar?" he asked, and Ragnar smiled, he knew he could count on his best friend to be awake. "Come in," he ushered, stepping back and Ragnar entered the warm home. "Many nights you come here for solace and leave with none, why do you continue to haunt my doorstep?" he asked, and Ragnar sighed, settling in a chair.

"I don't know but I can't be in the silence any longer," he argued and Floki nodded, pouring them cups of mead. He handed one to Ragnar and sat down across from him, his long legs propped up on the table. 

"Why does this woman haunt you so much?" Floki asked and Ragnar's eyes never rose from the fire.

"She was my wife," he said and Floki's eyebrows raised, this was a fact never revealed.

"Your wife? You were married before Lagertha?" he asked, tilting his head and Ragnar nodded.

"Yes, you can never tell her," he warned, his eyes darting to Floki's.

"Never, my friend," he agreed.

"We married young, before we knew the world as it is," he said and leaned back, drinking from his cup. 

"Children?" Floki asked and Ragnar looked at him over the rim of his cup.

"Two," he said.

"Two! You have kept many secrets," he stated, and Ragnar shrugged.

"They were not secrets, they just did not have a place in my life at the moment," he said. 

"So, married and two children, tell me what happened Ragnar, maybe it will ease your mind," Floki offered and Ragnar's eyes returned to the fire. 

"I will tell you, but this does not leave your home," he commanded and Floki nodded.

"On our friendship," he vowed, and Ragnar sighed, pausing for thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"Eir and Eirik," Ragnar said.

"A daughter and a son," Floki responded.

"Twins," he countered and Floki's eyebrows raised.

"Twins?" he asked and Ragnar nodded. "Blessing of the gods," he murmured and Ragnar smiled, drinking from his cup.

"And they were," he replied, his eyes moving off to the distance and becoming lost to his thoughts.

"What happened to them" Floki asked and Ragnar's eyes returned.

"Happened?" he asked. "I don't know, they are still living to my knowledge," he responded and Floki stared at him.

"Then why have you not had contact with them?" he demanded and Ragnar sighed.

"That's the story," he said and shrugged. "Their mother is a strong woman, a woman who you don't cross and expect her to take no notice," he said and shook his head. "I made the mistake once and that was the only mistake she ever allowed me,"

"What mistake?" Floki asked.

"I slept with Lagertha," he said.

"Wait, so when you first slept with Lagertha, you were married to another?" he asked and Ragnar nodded.

"She kicked me out and forbade me from ever returning to her doorstep," he said. "And knowing I broke her heart, I couldn't go back anwyay," he said.

"Eir and Eirik, how old are they now?" Floki questioned and Ragnar thought for a moment.

"I would think twenty," he said.

"Gods, Ragnar," Floki muttered, leaning back in his seat and shaking his head.

"I know, that's why I haven't told Lagertha, she would kill me if she knew I had slept with her while still married," he said and Floki snickered.

"I'd say," he agreed. "You must wonder of your children though," Floki mused and Ragnar nodded.

"I always assume I will meet Eirik in battle one day," he said and Floki shook his head, both falling silent. "I often think of returning there though, just to see what has become of them," he said.

"Why don't you?" Floki asked.

"I fear her," he said and Floki smiled. "She has many years of pent up anger to vent," he said and Floki nodded.

"She does but I think meeting your children again would be worth the pain of whatever she gives you," Floki said and Ragnar nodded.

"You may be right," he agreed and then drank deeply. "Let us go together, Floki, only you and I," he said.

"When?" Floki asked.

"Tomorrow," Ragnar demanded and Floki smiled. "Will you come with me?" he asked.

"Have I not followed you everywhere else?" Floki asked and Ragnar smiled at him.


End file.
